Lincoln Lights Up the Pines drive-thru expanding
Leader photo by Caleb Daniel
The Lincoln Lights Up the Pines drive-thru Christmas event at Lincoln Parish Park is always one of the most popular holiday traditions locally. This year, the event is expanding.
Lincoln Lights Up the Pines is expanding.
The popular Christmas drive-thru at Lincoln Parish Park will be two weekends this year: Nov. 30 through Dec. 2, and Dec. 7 through Dec. 9.
The move came because of community interest in the event and to give business participants more exposure, Lynne Gnemi, committee member for Lincoln Lights Up the Pines, said.
Cost is $10 per car and $20 per bus. All proceeds go to the park. The park is located off Hwy. 33 about 5 miles north of downtown Ruston.
In 2022, the drive-thru made $21,000 and saw record attendance of 2,106 vehicles, Park Director James Ramsaur said. The money goes into the park’s general fund.
Approximately 65 businesses will have displays leading up to the park’s campgrounds, where camper trailers will be decked out holiday-style. More than 90 campers are expected to participate over the two weekends, Gnemi said.
“When you’re out there and you see all the kids, they’re hanging out of the cars (that drive through) and they’re yelling ‘Merry Christmas,’ it’s just a wonderful community event,” she said.
Lincoln Lights Up the Pines is produced by the LLUP committee, in conjunction with the Lincoln Parish Police Jury. Title sponsor JTB Rentals supplies all the generators to light the business displays, Gnemi said.
The drive-thru began in 2015 after members of a local camper group participated in a similar event in Tyler, Texas.
Last year, Lincoln Lights Up the Pines expanded to include the roadway that leads to the park beach.
Except for 2018, when rain forced cancellation of one night, event attendance has increased every year, according to park records.
Lincoln Lights Up the Pines is on Louisiana’s Holiday Trail of Lights.
